I was hurt in a North Carolina traffic accident when a truck collided with my car. The police report got many of the facts wrong. Does this mean I can’t win in court?

You can breathe a little easier. A police report is not conclusive for a North Carolina personal injury lawsuit.

A police report is an attempt, by the officers on the scene, to puzzle out the sequence of events that led to your New Hanover County traffic collision. The police are trying to find the cause of the accident to see if criminal charges need to be filed, and also to determine if there is a threat to public safety they have overlooked. They generally do not consider issues of negligence and liability in the same way as a Wilmington auto accident attorney would.

Additionally, the police report is a product of a chaotic environment. Yes, it may eventually be typed up in a calm business environment at the police station or sheriff’s office, but the essential notes were taken at the accident scene. That easily could have been a chaotic environment, crowded with injured vehicle passengers, emergency responders, gawkers on the sidelines, congested traffic, spilled fuel on the roadway, and other distractions.

Under those circumstances, how can we expect a police officer to get every detail right?

The Cure for an Erroneous Police Report

If you’re looking at an erroneous police report about your traffic accident, you need two things to set your mind at ease:

You need an Independent Investigation

A detailed look at what happened by a Wilmington car accident lawyer from the Speaks Law Firm can uncover the truth. Your attorney will go back and interview witnesses, examine the wreckage, and—if necessary—call in scientific experts to reexamine the evidence. Guided by your memory of what really happened, your lawyer can analyze what went on before, during, and after the incident—and can figure out where the police went astray in writing their reports.

You need a Compassionate Advocate

Your Speaks Law attorney won’t be afraid to challenge the police report in the public forum of the courtroom, or in the privacy of a settlement conference. At the same time, our lawyers are ready to take their lead from you, the client. We can’t accept a settlement or proceed to trial until you give the word.

It’s a difficult and uncertain time after a serious North Carolina auto accident. It is easy to be dismayed when a police report seems to make it harder for you to get the recovery you need. We are here to dispel some of that uncertainty. Call (910) 341-7570 today toll-free to arrange a conference with a Wilmington personal injury attorney. As a courtesy, we will send you a free copy of our book, The North Carolina Auto Injury Book, as a way of introducing you to our firm’s viewpoint.